New Delhi, Aug 19: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released a circular for all schools to install effective firewalls and monitoring software mechanisms in all their computers. The decision, according to the reports, was taken after the government directed Google, Facebook and other internet majors to remove links of the deadly Blue Whale Challenge, the final task of which asks the player to take his/her life by jumping off from a building.
The circular ‘Guidelines for Safe and Effective Use of Internet and Digital Technologies in Schools and School Buses’ has been issued to 18,000 affiliated schools across India. The CBSE circular has asked the schools to frequently review the policies and procedures and to draft and implement a policy on the safe use of electronic devices.
The circular reads: ““The potential of information technology as a valuable learning resource is immense. However, if children use the internet without safety awareness, they may fall prey to illegal activity or abuse such as cyber bullying, fraud or something even more serious. Hence, awareness of internet safety norms is absolutely indispensable to make children free to explore knowledge without feeling intimidated. Increasing proliferation and sophistication of various electronic devices makes it all the more obligatory for schools to control and monitor their use by students.”
A senior CBSE official told Hindustan Times that the board has also added the directions related to safe internet usage available on the information security education. The directions include tips on how to stay safe on social networking sites for students. “Government has already issued directions for removing links of the Blue whale game. Schools have been asked to keep an eye on any unsolicited content whether it is games, social media site or anything that can be detrimental to the student,” a CBSE official was reported as saying by HT.
